2005 US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program Boys Thanksgiving Interregional

FRISCO, Texas (November 3, 2005) - Top national talent will converge on Austin, Texas for the US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program (US Youth Soccer ODP) Boys Thanksgiving Interregional. Teams will arrive on November 24th for training with competition play beginning on the 25th at St. Stephens School. Play resumes on the 26th through the 28th at the Town and Country Complex. Continuing its tradition of elite play, competition and player development, youth from the nation's elite player identification and development program, US Youth Soccer ODP, will train and compete in front of U.S. Soccer National Team Staff and leading collegiate coaches to maximize their exposure.

The US Youth Soccer ODP Boys Thanksgiving Interregional will represent teams in the 1989, 1991 and 1992 age groups including the U.S. Under-17 National Team and two teams (Blue and Grey) from the U.S. Under-14 National Team Pool. In addition to these, a team from the Lone Star Soccer Club of Austin, Texas will be represented in the Under-16 age group. For more information on the US Youth Soccer ODP Boys Thanksgiving Interregional, including schedules, visit www.USYouthSoccer.org.

The '89 age group will also have the opportunity to compete in the adidas Super Group at the Disney Soccer Showcase from December 27th through 30th featuring a showcase matches between U.S. U-17 Men's National Team and three international teams (France, Japan and Spain) at Disney's Wide World of Sports® Complex in Orlando, Florida.

How important is the US Youth Soccer ODP? Just ask the current and former U.S. Under-17 Men's National Team Head Coaches.

"We use the US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program because it produces excellent players and it does a great deal of our work for us," said John Hackworth, Under-17 Men's National Team Head Coach. "Players develop through the US Youth Soccer ODP process by continually being placed in a more competitive environment. The Under-17 Men's National Team has always and will continue to evaluate players through US Youth Soccer ODP."

"I can assure you that my staff and I utilized US Youth Soccer ODP to the best of our ability," said John Ellinger, former Head Coach, Under-17 U.S. Soccer Men's National Team. "Players develop through the US Youth Soccer ODP process by continually being placed in a more competitive environment. The experience of testing their individual skills and abilities at higher levels is paramount in their developmental process. For coaches, evaluating and selecting players for the National Team programs, the chance to see them in these types of competitive environments is a key factor."

Initially created in 1977 as the US Youth Soccer Select Team Program, US Youth Soccer ODP was formed to identify a pool of players in each age group from which a National Team could be selected for international competition. A girls program was added to US Youth Soccer in 1985.

The players must try out to qualify for the program's high-level training from carefully selected and licensed coaches through a series of trials at their local, State Association and then Regional levels. Those selected are exposed to the nation's best coaches, trainers and facilities.

US Youth Soccer ODP is not only original ODP program but also the only elite player development program that can claim members of Major League Soccer as well as a majority of current and past national and youth team members, as alumni. And, with programs in all 55 State Associations as well as regional and national championships and participation in international tournaments, US Youth Soccer ODP continues to lead the way.

About US Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program (US Youth Soccer ODP) - US Youth Soccer ODP, established in 1977, is the original Olympic development program in the United States. Formed to identify a pool of players in each age group from which a National Team could be selected for international competition, selected players are exposed to the nation's top coaches from collegiate institutions, U.S. Soccer and the professional leagues. Programs exist in each state and with competitions such as the US Youth Soccer ODP National Championships, Interregional Training/Competition, Regional Camps and International play. US Youth Soccer ODP continues to lead the way in elite player identification and development. US Youth Soccer ODP is an approved program of the U.S. Soccer Federation.

About the United States Youth Soccer Association (US Youth Soccer) - US Youth Soccer-The Game for ALL Kids!® is the largest member of the United States Soccer Federation, the governing body of soccer in the United States. US Youth Soccer registers more than 3.2 million players annually, ages 5 to 19, and over 900,000 administrators, coaches and volunteers in 55 member state associations. US Youth Soccer programs provide a fun, safe and healthy environment for players at every level of the game. For more information, visit www.USYouthSoccer.org.

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